Westminster Elections: Candidate Profiles for Mayor and Common Council

Elections for Westminster's Mayor and two Common Council seats will take place Tuesday, May 14 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

Respondents answered the following questions via email. Their responses are here in full.

Common Council 

Running for the two Common Council seats are: incumbent Tony Chiavacci, past Council member Suzanne Albert, Misty Henline and Doug Mathias.

Doug Mathias did not respond by the time this article posted. The article will be updated with his responses should he choose to submit them. 

Why do you want to serve on Westminster's Common Council?

Suzanne Albert

First, people are encouraging me to return to the Westminster Common Council and there is an open seat. Secondly, I have experience, proven leadership ability and a positive attitude for  providing an improved  quality of life for the citizen's of Westminster.

Tony Chiavacci

To work to make Westminster a great place to live, work and play.

Misty Henline

I want to serve because I was very disappointed with the current council's approval of the Rental Licensing and Inspection Ordinance.  I do not believe that Westminster needs the additional bureaucracy or costs to voters or city employees associated with this ordinance.  I don't think the city of Westminster should take on the expense of defending an unconstitutional ordinance.

What do you do for a living? 

Suzanne Albert

I am a certified licensed registered nurse consulting in long term care, in Carroll County, as a case manager in Assisted Living facilities.

Tony Chiavacci

I am the owner of Kojak Graphic Communications, located in downtown Westminster.

Misty Henline

I am an Assistant State's Attorney in Baltimore City.

Please detail any prior experience you have with public service. 

Suzanne Albert

Elected to serve four terms on The Westminster Common Council, served as  President Pro-Temp, Board of Zoning ,ex officio, Co chair of Personnel and Finance Committee and Chair of Public Work Committee.

Tony Chiavacci

I am currently a Westminster City Councilman running for re-election. I have served for four years as a City Councilman. I am the chairman of Westminster Public Safety committee, Chairman of the Westminster Recreation and Parks Committee, Vice Chairman of the Westminster Public Works committee. I am the Westminster Area Rec Council President (County, not city), I coach various recreation and high school sports and volunteer with various nonprofit charitable organizations.

Misty Henline

My job as a prosecutor allows me to work for the public by advocating for citizens of this state and promoting public safety.

What are the top 3 issues you think the city of Westminster has to focus on in 2014?

Suzanne Albert

1). Continued work with the County Government for conservation and development of new and expanded water supply with concerted efforts to supply water for economic development 2) Support efforts for Downtown revitalization 3) Timely financial and accounting audits for efficiency and public information.

Tony Chiavacci

Business development: As the only downtown business owner running for office I am the most qualified to address the current issues facing our downtown businesses. I have built a successful downtown business putting millions of dollars back into our local community. I have constantly worked hard over the past 4 years to support our business owners and have been consistent in my message to the city staff that Westminster needs to be business friendly to have a healthy vibrant downtown. Stop in an ask some of our local business owners who they support. I am confident in their answer.

Keeping Westminster a safe place to live, work and play: Statistically Westminster is a very safe town but we can always do better. As the current Chairman of the Westminster Public Safety committee I have worked closely with Chief Spaulding to make the WPD a top notch department that does an outstanding  job. If re-elected I will continue to work to improve public safety in down town and throughout Westminster.

Keeping City government at the peak of efficiency: Over the 4 years I have been in office we have trimmed a significant amount out of the city budget and are now operating very lean, doing more with less. We have made significant strides in capital improvements and as promised we have begun lowering the tax rate, dropping it in the past two years as we make progress on the most desperately needed items, that if continued to be kicked down the road, would have continued to exponentially increase in cost. I will continue to work hard to keep us lean and efficient.

Misty Henline

I think the top 3 issues that Westminster has to focus on are reducing property taxes, reducing government waste, and ensuring public safety does not decline.

How long have you lived in Westminster? 

Suzanne Albert

Forty-four years. I grew up, lived on Main Street in Westminster, married a town boy, we left for careers and returned to Westminster in 1988.

Tony Chiavacci

Other than my time in the Military and for about 6 years after leaving the Army, all of my life.

Misty Henline

I have lived in Carroll County all of my life and 11 years in the Westminster city limits.

In your opinion, is the city of Westminster stable today in terms of finances and is the city heading in the right direction with finances, budgeting and spending?

Suzanne Albert

Yes. The Department of Finance, Administration, Mayor and Common Council plan, in 2014, to be more accountable to the public working toward sound financial/accounting business practices.

Tony Chiavacci

Yes, but we can always work to improve our efficiency. We have made tremendous headway in the past few years getting the city as healthy as it has been in a long time. However, we must remain ever vigilant to insure that taxpayers money (I am one of them) is spent as efficiently as possible.

Misty Henline

In my opinion, I think Westminster should be more fiscally responsible in their spending. I question the use of bonuses to city employees that uses tax dollars. I don't believe the city of Westminster is realistic in the fact that taxes are up but the public is still struggling and only gave a one cent tax reduction. Furthermore, creating more government bureaucracy that the rental ordinance did only shows that the current council is focused on raising fees to pay for something that isn't needed.

Please feel free to add anything else you feel is relevant about yourself or your intentions should you get elected to serve on the Common Council.

Suzanne Albert

Please note the customary city  election on 2nd Monday, in May, has been changed to the 2nd Tuesday.  A vote on May 14, 2013 for Suzanne Albert for the Westminster City Common Council will be very much appreciated.

Tony Chiavacci

I have been honored to serve the citizens of Westminster the past four years and feel like I have done a good job of working to make Westminster a great place to live, work and play. I would like to continue my work and would appreciate your vote on May 14.

Misty Henline

I am a determined and hard working person who will dedicate my time to advocating for the voters of Westminster. My job has given me vital experience in advocating for others and I know that I can give a fresh perspective to the council and hold others accountable for their prior decisions.

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Westminster Mayor

Mayoral incument Kevin Utz is being challenged by Rebekah Orenstein. 

Rebekah Orenstein did not respond to a phone call and email by the time this article posted. We will update the article with her responses should she choose to submit them.

Why do you want to serve as the Mayor of Westminster?

Kevin Utz

I was born and raised here. I am trying to preserve the city in which I grew up, played and worked. I feel that during the past four years as Mayor, I have worked with the Council to stabilize expenditures, reduced size of government and worked to bring back a vibrant Main Street. 

What is your occupation? 

Kevin Utz

I work at Utz Real Estate, a company owned by my daughter Jenni, and I work as an independent REALTOR.

Please detail any experience you have with public service. 

Kevin Utz

I served 4 years on the City Council in Westminster before the 4 years current as Mayor.  I currently sit on the executive board of the Maryland Municipal League.

What are the top 3 issues you think the city of Westminster has to focus on in 2014?

Kevin Utz

1. Continue reducing un-needed government expense 2. Main Street vitality is essential to foster new and wanted businesses. The government should be a partner and help support business growth. 3. Water and sewer infrastructural projects required by the state is at the forefront of any potential growth projects. It is essential we with our partners at the Federal, State and County to bring these resources to the city. 

How long have you lived in Westminster? 

Kevin Utz

I was born, raised, worked and raised my family in Westminster and continue to live in this GREAT CITY! 

In your opinion, is the city of Westminster stable today in terms of finances and is the city heading in the right direction with finances, budgeting and spending?

Kevin Utz

Since taking office four years ago with a poor financial audit statement, more than a million dollars removed from our budget by the Governor, I consider the city a survivor.  My goal was to make the city self sufficient and budget dependent only on funding we knew we could count on. During the four years with reducing staff positions, cutting department budgets, city employees working more with less, we were able to balance the budget without layoffs, reduction in pay and still providing the same level of service to our citizens.  The Mayor and Council also were able to return two cents to our citizens over the past two years, as our capital projects were drastically reduced.  The Audit received an almost perfect result this past year with one deficiency that was corrected immediately by staff.

Please feel free to add anything else you feel is relevant about yourself or our intentions should you get elected to serve as mayor. 

Kevin Utz

When folks ask why I do this job for the little pay received, I let them know that I grew up in the town and I'm proud of it.  My job is to run the government's day to day operation, but I feel like a cheerleader, letting everyone know how great the city is and that all should visit. I have a great directors and staff that serve our citizens with pride and dedication each day. I have no political agenda, my only goal in life as Mayor is to assure there is sufficient monies in the budget for public safety, roads and the day to day operations citizens depend on. 

Want to hear more from the candidates? See two-minute video messages from candidates on the Community Media Center's Election page and attend a candidate forum being hosted by We the People of Carroll County at Legend's Cafe starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.